रटत्प्रणालसलिलवापीवलितपादपम् । शीर्णवेद्यादिविज्ञातभूतपूर्वद्विजाश्रमम्
There were wells with gushing water, ponds, and trees swaying in the breeze, and the remains of old altars revealed that sages had once lived there.
क्षुद्रप्राणिविनिर्मुक्तं सिद्धसेव्यलतालयम् । आपूर्णपादपलतं प्राणवृत्तिकरैः फलैः
It was free from small creatures, a grove frequented by accomplished sages, its ground covered with fallen leaves and fruits that sustained life.
तत्रैकस्मिन् स्थले शुद्धे समे सलिलमालिते । शीतले शाद्वलश्यामे स्निग्धे सफलपादपे
In one pure, level spot, moist with water, cool, dark with lush grass, gentle, and shaded by fruit-bearing trees—
समञ्जरीभिर् वल्लीभिस् स चकारोटजालयम् । प्रावृट्कालस् सविद्युद्भिर् नीलाभ्रैर् इव पञ्जरम्
He made a hut from vines with clusters of blossoms, like a cage of blue clouds streaked with lightning in the rainy season.
मसृणं वैणवं दण्डं फलभोजनभाजनम् । अर्घपात्रं पुष्पभाण्डम् अक्षमालां कमण्डलुम्
He brought a smooth bamboo staff, a bowl for eating fruit, a vessel for offering water, a basket for flowers, a rosary, and a water pot.
कन्थां शीतापनोदाय बृसीं चैव मृगाजिनम् । आनीयायोजयत् तस्मिन् मठिकामन्दिरे नृपः
He also brought a cloak to ward off the cold, a mat, and a deerskin, and arranged them all in that hermitage dwelling.
यत् किञ्चिद् अन्यद् वा वस्तु योग्यं तापसकर्मणि । तत् तत्र स्थापयाम् आस जगतीव क्रमं विधिः
Whatever other things were suitable for ascetic practice, he arranged them there, just as the order of the world is established by law.
सन्ध्यापूर्वं जपं प्रातःप्रहरं स तदाकरोत् । पुष्पोच्चयं द्वितीयं तु स्नानं देवार्चनं ततः
At dawn, before sunrise, he performed recitation of mantras for the first quarter of the day; then, in the second quarter, he gathered flowers, bathed, and worshipped the gods.
पश्चाद् वनफलं किञ्चिद् वनकन्दं बिसादिकम् । भुक्त्वा जप्यपरो भूत्वा निनायैको निशां वशी
Afterwards, he ate some forest fruits, roots, lotus stalks, and the like; then, absorbed in recitation, the self-controlled one spent the night alone.
इति दिवसम् अखेदं मन्दरोपान्तकच्छे विरचित उटजे ऽन्तर् मालवेशो निनाय । न च नृपतिविलासं तं स सस्मार कं वा स्फुरति हृदि विवेके राज्यलक्ष्म्यो हरन्ति
In this way, he passed his days without fatigue, dwelling in a hut near the slope of Mount Mandara, clothed in bark; nor did he recall any royal pleasures, for in a discerning heart, the splendors of kingship do not arise.
एवं शिखिध्वजः पर्णमठिकायां वने स्थितः । इदानीं शृणु चूडाला सा किं कृतवती गृहे
Thus, Śikhidhvaja stayed in the forest in his leaf-hut; now, listen to what Cūḍālā did at home.
तत्रार्धरात्रसमये दूरं याते शिखिध्वजे । हरिणी ग्रामसुप्तेव चूडाला बुबुधे भयात्
When Śikhidhvaja had gone far away, at midnight, Cūḍālā, like a deer awakened from sleep in the village, became aware out of fear.
अपश्यत् पतिनिर्हीनं शयनं शून्यतां गतम् । अभास्करम् अपूर्णेन्दुं शान्तशोभम् इवाम्बरम्
She saw the bed, deprived of her husband, now empty—like the sky, devoid of sunlight and with an incomplete moon, possessing a tranquil beauty.
उत्तस्थौ किञ्चिद् आम्लानवदना खेदशालिनी । कुसिक्तेव महावल्ली निरुत्साहाङ्गपल्लवा
She rose, her face somewhat withered, full of distress, like a great creeper wetted by rain, her tender limbs lacking enthusiasm.
न प्रसन्ना न विमला बभूवाकुलतां गता । दिनश्रीर् इव नीहारधूसरा सा व्यतिष्ठत
She was neither serene nor pure, but had fallen into confusion, remaining as dimmed as the splendor of day obscured by mist.
क्षणं शय्योपविष्टैव चिन्तयाम् आस चिन्तया । कष्टं राज्यं प्रभुस् त्यक्त्वा वनं यातो गृहाद् इति
For a moment, she sat on her bed, absorbed in anxious thought: 'Alas, the lord has abandoned the kingdom and gone from home to the forest.'
तन् मयेहाद्य किं कार्यं तत्समीपं व्रजाम्य् अहम् । भर्तैव गतिर् उद्दिष्टा विधिना प्रकृता स्त्रियः
'So what should I do now? I will go to him. For a woman, the husband alone is prescribed by fate as her refuge.'
इति सञ्चिन्त्य भर्तारम् अनुगन्तुं समुत्थिता । चूडाला वातरन्ध्रेण निर्गत्याम्बरम् आययौ
Thinking thus, Cūḍālā rose to follow her husband, and, passing through an air-duct, ascended into the sky.
बभ्रामाम्बरमार्गेण वातस्कन्धेन योगिनी । कुर्वती सिद्धसार्थस्य मुखेनान्येन्दुविभ्रमम्
The yoginī traveled through the sky, borne by the wind, her face shining with a beauty that rivaled the moon, as she moved among the hosts of accomplished beings.
ददर्शाथ पथा यान्तं रात्रौ खड्गकरं पतिम् । भ्रमन्तम् एकम् एकान्ते वेतालेशम् इवोत्थितम्
Then, by that path, she saw her husband at night, sword in hand, wandering alone in a secluded place, like a spirit newly arisen.
तादृशं पतिम् आलोक्य रुद्धा गगनकोटरे । भविष्यच् चिन्तयाम् आस सर्वं भर्तुर् अखण्डितम्
Seeing her husband in such a state, she paused within the hollow of the sky and began to contemplate all that would befall him, without omission.
यथा तेन यदा यत्र यावत् कार्यं यथोदयम् । यथा च निर्वृतिस् स्फारा गन्तव्या तेन राघव
'Whatever, whenever, wherever, and to whatever extent he must act, and however his complete fulfillment is to be attained, that must be accomplished by him, O Rāghava.'
अवश्यभवितव्यं तद् भर्तुर् दृष्ट्वा पुरस्स्थितम् । तद् एव सम्पादयितुं गमनात् सा न्यवर्तत
Seeing that what must happen to her husband was now before her, she turned back from her journey to bring it about.
आस्तां ममाद्य गमनं कालेनातिचिरेण हि । मयास्य पार्श्वं गन्तव्यं नियतेर् एष निश्चयः
Let my journey be postponed for today; before long, by the force of destiny, I must go to his side.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य चूडाला प्रविश्यान्तःपुरं पुनः । सुष्वाप शयने शम्भोश् शिरसीवैन्दवी कला
Thinking thus, Chudala entered the inner chambers again and slept on her couch, like the moon’s digit on Shiva’s head.
केनचित् कारणेनासौ गतस् सम्प्रति भूपतिः । इति पौरजनं सर्वम् आश्वास्यातिष्ठद् अङ्गना
To reassure all the people, the queen said, 'The king has gone away for some reason.'
राज्यं ररक्ष भर्तुस् तत् क्रमेण समदर्शना । यथा कलमकेदारं पक्वं कलमगोपिका
She governed the kingdom in her husband’s stead, with impartial vision, just as a farmer’s wife tends the ripe field of rice.
तयोस् तदावहत् कालो दम्पत्योस् स्थितयोस् तथा । अदृष्टान्योऽन्यमुखयो राज्यकाननपालयोः
Thus, time passed for the couple, each in their place—she in the palace, he in the forest—unseen by one another, both guarding their respective realms.
जगामाथ दिनं पक्षो मासो ऽथर्तुश् च वत्सरः । शिखिध्वजस्य विपिने चूडालायास् स्वमन्दिरे
Then a day, a fortnight, a month, and a year went by—Shikhidhvaja in the forest, Chudala in her own palace.
बहुनात्र किम् उक्तेन वर्षाण्य् अष्टादशाङ्गना । चूडालोवास सदने वनकच्छे शिखिध्वजः
Why say more? Eighteen years passed: Chudala remained in her palace, Shikhidhvaja in the forest’s edge.